Alining mechanism for linotype-machines.



Patented m 22,1902.

A. a. cmswomn. ALINING MECHANISM FOR LINGTYPE MACHINES.

(Application filed Feb. 26, 1902.)

(Ila Model.)

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALFRED GWILT OOTSWORTH, OF LONDON, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR TO THE MERGENTHALER LINOTYPE COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

ALINI NG MECHANISM FOR LlNOTYPE MACHINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. '7 05,386, dated J 'uly 22, 1902.

Application filed February 26, 1902. Serial No. 95,726. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ALFRED GWIL'r Cors- WORTH, of London, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in and Connected with the Alining Mechanism of Linotype-Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and'exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to whichit appertains to make and use the same.

The present invention relates to improvements in and connected with the particular alining mechanism of a Mergenthaler linotype-machine described in the specification of Letters Patent of the United States No. 614,561, November 22, 1898. That mechanism effected the alinement of the composed line of matrices in the same way as did the alining mechanism described in the specification of United States of America Patent'No. 436,532, September 16, 1890viz., by the rise of the first elevator pulling a lug on each matrix up to a fixed horizontal projecting surface known as the alining-ridge, thereby getting all the matrices into line with each other; but it provided a detent or locking device adapted to hold the elevator down momentarily, thereby leaving the matrices free to move laterally as the justifying wedges or spacers are thrust upward through the line, the detent being disengaged after the justification has been effected and the elevator thereby allowed to efiect the alinement by its rise. gagement was effected by the second justifying-lever pulling a certain rod connected to the detent downward; but depending upon that downward pull to disengage the detent led to an alteration in the design of the cam of the said justifying-lever, such alteration being intended to accelerate the drop of the lever. Now, seeing that such drop opened the vise-jaws beyond standard length of the line at a time that the first justifying-lever was free tovjustify, the line was wedged by the latter between the vise-jaws too tightly for the rising first elevator to effect alinement. Further, the secondjustifying-lever and the respective cam communicate through an antifriction lever carried by the former, and as This disen:

the said lever is being urged constantly up to the cam by two springs the wear on the antifriction roller is considerable, and consequently the above-mentioned downward pull would occasionally fail to disengage the detent.

the detent of the Patent No. 614,561 above mentioned.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, which are to be taken as a part of this specification and read therewith, Figure l is a sectional side elevation from the left-hand side of the machine; Fig. 2, a part plan corresponding therewith, but omitting the first elevator and including its cam; Fig. 3, a detail sectional elevation of the disengaging device on an enlarged scale, and Fig. 4 a sectional elevation from the rear on the line 4 4 of Figs. 1 and 2.

A is part of the frame of the machine; a the main shaft carrying, as usual, all the main cams of the machine including the cam 1, that raises the first elevator N; 2, the boss of the saidcam; N one of the guides in which the elevator N moves; at, the detent pivoted upon and depending from a horizontal rod 3, fast in the head of the'elevator N; 01 its actuatingspring; n flthe stop fast to the front of the pivoted vise-frame P, and under which the detent 11. engages to hold the elevator N in itslowest position,thereby leaving the matrices free to be acted upon by the justifyingplate; 71 the horizontal disengager-rod free to turn in bearings a, fast to the front of the vise-frame P; n, the detent-disengager carried by the rod n in the proper position to engage the detent'n,and n the finger carried by the rod n in the proper position to be engaged by the push-rod of the present invention.

All the above-mentioned parts, (excepting of course the push-rod just mentioned) are as heretofore and will be found in either of ing the said end just clear of the boss 2.

the United States of America patents already referred to. It is to be noted that the position of the push-rod has necessitated the removal of the finger n from the side to the front of the vise-frame P.

It has already been explained that the present invention operates the disengaging device from the same shaft that raises the first elevator. Thus, 2 being the boss of the cam 1, 4 is a cam-surface fast to and concentric therewith, its leading end 5 being preferably radial to the axis of the cams rotation. 6 is the push-rod adapted to slide freely in either direction in guides 7 7,fastto the machine-frame A, and which hold it in the plane of the camsurface 4. The rear end of the push-rod (i must be kept almost in contact with the cambossl.) or with the cam-surface 4, whichever may be for the time being opposite toit. Any convenient device may be used to effect this. A suitable as well as a convenient one consists of a spring 8 pulling on the rod 6 from a rearwardly-situated point on the machineframe A, as shown in Fig. 1. 14 is a stoppin to prevent unnecessary wear by hold- It is convenient that the major length of the push-rod 6 should be lower than the disengager-rodn and that it should pass through the vise-frame P on its way to the finger 11 Moreover, the pivoted vise-frame P swings from the position shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3 to the front. To meet these two conditions, the push-rod 6 is cranked twice, as shown at U 9 in Figs. 1 and 2, bent once to the left, as shown at 10 in Fig. 2, thereby making its front end 11 stand behind a convenient part of the vise-frame P and severed at a point just behind the latter, the severed and front portion 12 being supported by a port 13, in which part of it lies, so that When the vise-frame P is swung to the front away from the machineframe A it will carry the said portion 12 with it. \Vhen the vise-frame P is swung back again, the rear end of the portion 12 is held in contact with the front end 11 of the main push-rod 6 and the finger n in contact with the front end of the portion 12 by the springn The function and the consequent timing of the first elevator-cam 1 are too Well known to require description here; but the dimensions of the cam-surface t are important and are as follows: As to position on the boss 2 lengthwise of the latter, the whole of the said camsurface must project therefrom in the plane of the rear end of the push-rod 6, so as to be always opposite it, as shown in Fig. 2. As to its radial'projection from the surface of the said boss, this is regular throughout, and must be enough to make the push-rod rock the finger n, detent-disengager n and detent n from the dotted-line position into the full-line position shown in Fig. 3. As to its angular position, its leading end 5 must come up to and actuate the push-rod 6 just before the cam 1 begins to raise the elevator N, or, in other words, before it starts it to aline the matrices. It may be remarked at this point that the justifying-levers effect the first and principal justification and begin to drop just before the first elevator-cam begins to raise the elevator N. As to the angular length of the said cam-surface 4, it must be such that the latter will hold the detent n disengaged during the process of alinement and will also clear the push-rod 6, leaving the said detent free to be acted on by its engaging-spring n in time for the next engagement under the stop or.

Briefly stated, the locking device 71 acts momentarily to lock down the first elevator in which the matrices are suspended, while the justifying-wedges are being forced upward through the matrix-line in the usual manner, so as to relieve the ears of the matrices from the friction to which they were subjected by the lifting influences of the first elevator in the earlier machines, thus permitting them to move laterally, so that j ustification may be more easily effected by the Wedges. Immediately after the justifying action is completed the detent disengages, leaving the first elevator free to rise slightly in the usual manner to effect the alinement of the matrices vertically. The action of the looking device shown herein is, broadly considered, similar to that in Patent No.6l4,56l; but in the arrangement herein shown the detent is positively disengaged by a device wholly independent of the justifying device and the jaw-adjusting device, and in this regard it difiers from the former construction.

I claim 1. The combination with the detent, detent disengager and disengager-rod of the first elevator of a Mergenthaler linotype-machine, of a cam-surface incorporated with the cam that raises the first elevator; push-rod actuated thereby; and finger held by the disengagerrod in position to be rocked by the push-rod when the latter is actuated by the said camsurface.

2. The combination with the detent, detentdisengager and disengager-rod of the first elevator of a Mergenthaler linotype-machine, of a cam-surface incorporated with the cam that raises the first elevator; main push-rod actuated thereby; front portion of push-rod supported by the vise-frame; and finger held by the disengager-rod in position to be rocked by the front portion of the push-rod when the plain portion of it is actuated by the cam-surace.

3. In a linotype-machine, the first elevator, a device for locking the same down momentarily to relieve the matrix-ears from friction during the justifying action, and a positivelyacting device independent of the justifying mechanism to effect the disengagement of said detent after the justifying action.

ICC

4. In a, linotype-machine, the combination of the first elevator for supporting the line of matrices, a locking device n to hold the elevator down during the action of the j usti- 5 fying devices, a cam 4t and connections from said cam to positively disengage the locking In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two witnesses.

ALFRED GWILT COTSWORTH.

Witnesses: CHAS. S. WOODROFFE,

device. 1 WARWICK H. WILLIAMS. 

